We had the good fortune of connecting with Ayana the Oracle and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ayana, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
Initially, I didn’t choose a creative career. In my upbringing we were led to believe creative careers weren’t profitable or viable for longterm success. I had my eyes set on becoming a holistic psychologist– which I wasn’t even too sure if that career path truly existed, especially for faces like mine. After finding my local art scene/community — they really invited me to embody my very obvious, yet dormant, creative capacity. I couldn’t imagine living any other way after that– creativity called me. All the expressions of my mind and heart, usually left unspoken, finally found a place to land in the world. Now I get to incorporate my love for psychology in all of my creative works and work with practitioners to help create space for the healing I once thought I would facilitate directly.

What should our readers know about your business?
I’m the owner and founder of a holistic wellness platform and gift shop called, creativholistic. We’re one of the most intuitive suppliers of handmade wellness products and content for creatives. Our ability to deeply connect with our shoppers and their healing journey is what keeps our shoppers coming back. In 2016 — we began with a small blog that slowly but surely picked up steam online for 2 years. In 2018 — we began producing the products we’re most known for — our handmade affirmation card collections. Since launching we had the honor of serving over 5,000 creatives all across the globe. Running a business is never easy when you’re a hands-on owner! Our most difficult challenges have always been having an influx of demand due to our social presence. This definitely intensified due to the 2020 pandemic. The top lesson I’ve learned from doing business is that you should never underestimate your ability to succeed beyond your wildest dreams. People have a special affection for the business owner that goes out of business due to low sales — but the challenge of having the exact opposite issue, isn’t a story that gets told often. Be prepared to be that person. Build community, you cannot achieve your wildest dreams alone.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Hop in friend — we’re going to Ponce City Market! As a typical shopping addict, Ponce is definitely one of my favorite spots in the city! The Victorian Atlanta — probably the most beautiful plant shop in the city. Modern Mystic at Ponce is also a must visit for all my mystical friends. We would have to grab a bite from Slutty Vegan and stop by my friends at the ArtsXchange too!
The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
A special thanks to my largest supporters — my online community. None of this would be possible without the people who believe in me, support me, invest in me, and reflect so much goodness into the world.

Website: creativholistic.co
Instagram: @ayanatheoracle
Twitter: @ayanatheoracle
Other: tik tok: @ayanatheoracle clubhouse: Ayana O

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